A Spartan Out Of Time
by Phoenix710
Summary: Road RoversHalo Xover. The Covenant travel back in time to the 20th century, intent on destroying humanity in the past. The Master Chief follows, and links up with Hunter and Colleen. Can the Rovers and the Chief stop the Covenant from destroying Earth?
1. Hitching A Ride

**A Spartan Out Of Time**

**Story by:**** Phoenix710**

**Summary: ****The Covenant have discovered a method of travelling back in time, and they decide to go back to the 20****th**** century, to when humankind will be less likely to be able to oppose them. However, humanity's best warrior, the cyborg super-soldier known as the Master Chief, hitches a ride on the alien flagship, and follows them. Once he arrives in the 20****th**** century, he sneaks off the ship, takes out the alien scouting party he encounters, and then he meets up with Hunter and Colleen, who are returning to HQ after seeing a movie with the twins. Once introductions are over with, they all return to HQ, and The Master orders the Rovers to assist the Master Chief in stopping the Covenant. Can they win?**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not claim any rights whatsoever to Halo or Road Rovers, or any of the associated characters. Road Rovers is a registered trademark of Warner Brothers, and Halo, the Master Chief, Miranda Keyes, Sgt. Avery Johnson, Cortana, MJOLNIR armor, and all other associated characters, are registered trademarks of Bungie Game Studios, and Microsoft. However, Cassie, Alexander, Samantha, Kasha, Karina, and Alek, as well as the Stealth Rover, are products of my imagination.**

**Chapter One: Hitching a Ride **

In the Lambda Serpentis sector, the battle between the UNSC (United Nations Space Command), and the Covenant forces, was going poorly for the UNSC. Most of their ships had been destroyed by the Covenant's superior firepower. Pulse lasers, Plasma torpedoes, and projected plasma cutting beams, were tearing human ships to bits. Only three remained, out of a fleet of forty. The three remaining ships were the frigates _Dawn Under Fire_ and _In Amber Clad_, along with the carrier _Washington._ The human ships' main weapons, heavy MAC (Magnetic Accelerator Cannon) guns, were able to take down the smaller Covenant ships, but the cruisers and carriers were unscathed. Their shields were seemingly immune to anything the humans could throw at them. Onboard the _In Amber Clad, _Commander Miranda Keyes studied the tactical display on her monitor. It didn't look good. "Report.", she called out. One of her bridge crew, Lt. Paul Reilly, the Tactical Officer, replied, "Ma'am, we're down to our last twenty Archer missiles, and the MAC cannon. We've used up our three Shiva nuclear missiles on that last Covenant destroyer, and our last five Longsword interceptors just got fried by Covie Seraphs." Miranda said, "Damn…" She thought about her options, then said, "Tell Sgt. Johnson to send word down to the Cryogenics Bay. Get the Master Chief ready." Lt. Reilly replied, "Yes, Ma'am."

**Onboard the Covenant flagship **_**Righteous Fury…**_

A black-armored Spec. Ops Elite, Taya 'Vultumee, strode up to the Ship Master, Yava 'Zulbamee, who was clad in brilliant golden armor. Kneeling before his superior, 'Vultumee reported, "My lord, the battle against the humans goes well. We have obliterated thirty-seven of their ships, for the loss of five of ours. If all goes well, we can proceed with our plan to travel back in time, and destroy the humans before they create the Master Chief." 'Zulbamee smiled, and said, "Excellent. Inform me when we are ready." 'Vultumee bowed, then left the room."

**Back on **_**In Amber Clad…**_

Along with the commander of _In Amber Clad_'s squad of Marines, Sgt. Avery Johnson, a tough, courageous black man, who had taken out more Covenant than most ships' entire compliment of Marines, The Master Chief made his way up onto the bridge, and saluted. Commander Miranda Keyes shook his hand, and the rest of her crew stared in awe. The Master Chief was huge, at least seven feet tall, and strong enough to flip over one of the 3 ton Warthog Light Reconnaissance Vehicles that were down in the vehicle bay. His armor had powerful, fast-charging energy shields, and could take a tremendous beating, even without the shields. He had a standard-issue M6D 12.7mm pistol holstered on each hip, and an MA5B 7.62mm Assault Rifle strapped to his back, along with ten clips of ammo for each weapon, which were stored in the ammo belt around his waist, along with 4 M9-HE (High-Explosive) Fragmentation Grenades. He said, "Master Chief, Spartan-117 reporting as ordered, Ma'am." Keyes replied, "Chief, listen up. The Covies are up to something, and I don't like it. I'm launching you onto their flagship, in a Human Insertion Pod. Get prepped, and when you find out what they're up to, inform me, and then set a demolition charge and blow that ship to bits. Understood?" The Chief replied, "Completely, Ma'am." The Chief left the Bridge, and Keyes said, "I hope you Covies like pain, 'cause you're all in for a world of hurt."

The Chief got into the pod, and launched. Once he neared the alien flagship, Cortana, the powerful AI that was inside his armor, hacked the alien ship's computer, and dropped their shields, allowing the Chief to ram his pod right through one of their airlock doors. He kicked the pod open, and took down three Grunts with headshots from his pistol. Their light blue blood spattered the walls, and they went flying from the impact of the 12.7mm shells. Cortana, who was linked to the Chief's armor via his neural interface, said, in her normal voice, "Chief, I'm picking up two Elites on the other side of that door. One's got a plasma sword, and the other one's got dual Needlers. Be careful." He replied, "Thanks for the warning." The door to the bay opened, and the black-armored Elite wielding the Plasma Sword charged, intending to slice the Master Chief in half. He ducked and rolled, then slammed his armored boot into the Elite's gut, smashing the armor, and breaking half the creature's ribs. It doubled over in pain, and the Master Chief threw it into the bulkhead, breaking its skull and neck. The other Elite, clad in red armor, roared in rage, and fired its Needlers. The Chief dodged behind equipment crates, until the alien went to reload. The Chief picked up the crate he was hiding behind, and threw it at the Elite, squashing it. He then made his way to the ship's Bridge, where he activated the cloaking system built into his armor. It was a recent addition, based on captured examples of the Active Camouflage used by the Elites. He listened, as the Ship Master said, "We are ready. Engage Temporal Jump. We shall travel back to the 20th century, and obliterate Earth, before the filthy Humans can offer any resistance." The Chief radioed back to _In Amber Clad,_ and Commander Keyes replied, "Chief, stop them! If they attack Earth in the past, humanity won't stand a chance!" The Chief replied, "It's a little late, Commander. They're starting. I'll…" The transmission cut off, and Commander Keyes screamed, **"DAMN IT!!!"** She then said, "Chief, good luck, and Godspeed."

**Earth-20****th**** Century, Socorro, NM:**

Hunter and Colleen had just exited the GoldStar Cinema, after seeing a special showing of the children's classic _Beauty and The Beast_, along with their twins. Cassie walked alongside her mother, while Alexander was at Hunter's right side. Cassie said, "Mom, dad, thanks for taking us out to the movie, I really liked it. Belle was such a great role model for girls, just like you are." Colleen replied, "I can see you inherited your father's sweetness, as well as his speed. You're such a wonderful little darling, and so's your brother." Alexander said, "Dad, are we gonna have lunch out, or are we gonna go back to Headquarters?" Hunter replied, "I think we're gonna head back to HQ, since I planned on making those pepperoni and cheese calzones, that Speedy gave me the recipe for, when we linked up with the Pizza Cats to stop the Holy Voice a couple months ago." Colleen said, "Huntie, that sounds abso-bloomin'-lutely delicious! I can't wait." The happy family of four headed for home, not having any idea that they would soon be involved in a battle that would determine the fate of the entire human race.

**Next Chapter: Hunter, Colleen, and their twins meet the Master Chief, after he takes out a scouting party of Covenant Grunts, Elites, Jackals, and Hunters. Once introductions are out of the way, the Master Chief accompanies them back to HQ, where they inform The Master of what's going on. Professor Hubert notices the Chief's armor, and the Master Chief asks why the Rovers' armor is so similar to his, which they explain is due to Prof. Hubert's technical genius. Join us next time for Chapter 2: Of Rovers and Spartans.**


	2. Of Rovers and Spartans

**A Spartan Out Of Time**

**Story by: ****Phoenix710**

**Summary: ****In this chapter, the Master Chief gets off of the Covenant ship, and then proceeds to take down an alien scouting party. Once he's finished with them, he has a quick talk with Cortana, the powerful AI (Artificial Intelligence) housed in his neural interface. Together, they decide to go and have a look around, to make sure that no other Covenant troops have eluded them. Eventually, they make contact with Hunter and Colleen, as well as their twins. Once introductions are out of the way, they all head back to Road Rover Headquarters, so that The Master can be informed as to what's going on.**

**Disclaimer: ****I do not claim any rights whatsoever to either Halo or Road Rovers, or to any of the characters associated with the two series. Halo, the Master Chief, Cortana, MJOLNIR armor, and all other related characters and equipment, are registered trademarks of Bungie Game Studios, and Microsoft. Road Rovers, and all associated characters, are registered trademarks of Warner Brothers. However, Cassie, Alexander, Samantha, Kasha, Karina, Alek, and the Stealth Rover, are products of my imagination. The song that will be used for this chapter's fight scene, between the Master Chief and the Covenant, 'Blow Me Away', is property of Breaking Benjamin.**

**Chapter Two: Of Rovers and Spartans**

Once the Covenant ship got into orbit around Earth in the 20th century, hundreds of Covenant soldiers, their numbers comprised of multiple battalions of Grunts, Elites, Jackals, and Hunters, headed for their landing pods. The Master Chief knew that he needed to move quickly. He snuck up behind a Grunt, and brought his fist down hard on the creature's head, pulping the skull as if it were a soda can. The alien died without a sound, and the Master Chief threw the dead body down a nearby maintenance shaft. He then climbed into the pod, and it sealed shut behind him. He then heard the soft, familiar female voice of his AI, Cortana. She said, "Nice work, Chief. The Covenant have no clue that we're here, so we've still got the element of surprise." He replied, "Thanks. Any idea where we are?" Cortana answered, "I've hacked into the enemy ship's computers, and, according to their records, we've arrived in the late 20th century. More specifically, the year 1999." The Master Chief said, "Damn…if we don't stop the Covenant here, then Earth is doomed." The pod launched, and the Master Chief felt his stomach lurch, as the pod's thrusters propelled it towards Earth. Through the translation systems built into his helmet, and through Cortana, he could hear the Covenant Ship Master as he broadcast his orders to his troops. _**"Warriors of the Prophets…let none of the Human filth survive. Their existence is an offense to all of us, and they can no longer be allowed to contaminate the galaxy. Destroy them all, and we shall be honored and revered throughout the Covenant!!!"**_ Cortana remarked, "Oh…I don't think so. Not if the Chief and I have anything to say about it." The Spartan used the time until landing to quickly check his weapons. He had captured four Covenant Plasma Grenades from a Grunt he'd killed earlier, and he also had a pair of the deadly Needlers in his armor's storage pack, along with four of the crystal packs that the weapons used as ammunition. He'd even liberated some captured ammo packs for his pistol, and for his assault rifle, and stored those in his pack as well. He also had three med-kits, some field rations, and some water. He had no need of a map or compass, since Cortana could interface with any navigational system, even primitive ones, and project the proper course onto his helmet's HUD (Heads-Up Display). Once the pod entered Earth's atmosphere, Cortana remarked, "Hold on to your helmet." At Mach 3.7 (1,920mph), the Master Chief's pod, along with the other alien landing pods, reached the surface in less than ten minutes. The Spartan waited for most of the aliens to disembark, and then he made his move. Charging at his maximum running speed of 40mph, which was normal for a Spartan super-soldier, due to the cybernetic enhancements he'd had, as well as the powerful enhancements of his MJOLNIR Mk.VI armor, he jump kicked an Elite, and knocked the creature off of its Ghost, a Covenant fast attack vehicle, equipped with an anti-gravity propulsion system, which allowed it to hover above the ground. The vehicle looked strikingly similar to a manta ray, and was armed with a pair of forward-firing plasma cannons. The Master Chief climbed onto the Ghost, and used the Plasma Cannons to shoot the Elite dead. With that done, he mopped up the few remaining Grunts and Elites, then took off after the other aliens, determined to stop them.

After about twelve minutes, the Master Chief came upon the tail end of the Covenant attack squad. He noticed a large city ahead of him, and Cortana said, "Chief, according to my records, and the data I've gathered from the local information retrieval system of this time period, known as the Internet, or World-Wide-Web, the city up ahead is Socorro, New Mexico. I think the Covenant plan to kill the human population, and use it as their first base of operations, as they conquer Earth." The Master Chief replied, "Fat chance. When I'm done with them, they'll be begging to go back home." The Spartan gunned his Ghost's thrusters, reaching a top speed of 37.26mph in seconds. Once he'd drawn to within firing range, he eased off the throttles, and opened fire, blasting the Covenant Ghosts and ground troops in his path into dust. Suddenly, a Fuel Rod cannon blast from a Hunter slammed into his Ghost, and he had to bail. However, before doing so, he aimed the stricken vehicle at the huge beast, and its momentum carried the 3.25 ton(6,610 pound) vehicle right into the Hunter, smashing it's armor in, and severely wounding it. The Master Chief finished the job with a shot into its neck from his pistol. He then noticed a trio of Grunts coming at him, so he lobbed a Plasma Grenade at them. It stuck on one, and the four-foot tall alien began running around in panic, screaming **"NOOOOOOOoooooooo………!!!"**, until the grenade detonated in a bright blue-white flash, killing three Grunts, two Elites, and five Jackals.

_'They fall in line  
One at a time  
Ready to play  
I can't see them anyway  
No time to lose  
We've got to move  
Steady your hand  
I am losing sight again  
Fire your guns  
Its time to run  
Blow me away  
I will stay unless I may  
After the fall  
We'll shake it off  
Show me the way _

_Only the strongest will survive  
Lead me to heaven when we die  
I have a shadow on the wall  
I'll be the one to save us all_

_There's nothing left  
So save your breath  
Lying and wait  
Caught inside this tidal wave  
You're covers blown  
No where to go  
Holding your fate  
Knowing that I will walk alone  
Fire your guns  
Its time to run  
Blow me away  
I will stay unless I may  
After the fall  
We'll shake it off  
Show me the way_

_Only the strongest will survive  
Lead me to heaven when we die  
I have a shadow on the wall  
I'll be the one to save us all  
You wanted it back_

_Only the strongest will survive  
Lead me to heaven when we die  
I have a shadow on the wall  
I'll be the one to save us all  
Save us all.'_

Soon, the Master Chief had obliterated all of the aliens, with the exception of the Elite that was leading the assault wave, and the five Grunts following him. He drew his MA-5B Assault Rifle, and unloaded a full sixty-round clip of the 7.62mm rounds into the Elite, then rushed forward and bashed the Elite in the skull, killing it. One of the Grunts shouted, **"BAD…BAD CYBORG!!!"** and another one screamed, **"LEADER DEAD!!! RUN AWAY!!!"** They attempted to run away, but the Master Chief reloaded his gun, and took them all down in seconds. Finally, he found another Ghost nearby, and hopped on. He headed into the city, and, after about ten minutes, his motion sensor painted four contacts ahead. He saw four dogs up ahead, except that these ones were bipedal, and he heard one of them, the taller of the two female dogs, speaking to the tall male dog beside her. She said, "Huntie, look…who do you suppose that is?" Hunter looked in the Master Chief's direction, and said, "Whoa…too cool! That guy's dressed just like the Master Chief from the Halo games, and he's even got a replica of the Ghost, although I don't know how he's getting it to hover." They approached him with caution, and Hunter said, "Uh…hi there. Nice looking armor, dude!" The Master Chief replied, "I'd advise you to find a shelter, before the Covenant find you." Colleen asked, "The Covenant? Who or what are the Covenant?" The Spartan replied, "They're a group of alien races, dedicated to the destruction of Earth, and all humankind. I'm here to stop them from doing it in this time period." Hunter then realized that this REALLY was THE Master Chief. He said, "Wow…and here I thought you were just a video game character…this is TOO COOL!!!" The Master Chief asked, "Who are you, anyway?" Hunter replied, "My apologies. My name's Hunter, the leader of the Road Rovers. This is my wife, and second-in command, Colleen. The two young ones here are our twins, Cassie, and Alexander. We're a group of genetically enhanced dogs that serve under Professor William Shepherd, whom we call 'Master', and we fight to protect Earth, and all those who dwell upon it, from any threat. Why don't you come with us to our Headquarters? That way, you can let our Master know what's going on, and we can help you take down these evil aliens." The Master Chief agreed, and then, he took off, following behind Hunter, Colleen, and their twins.

Once they arrived back at HQ, Exile greeted Hunter and Colleen as they came in with the twins. He said, "Hello, Comrades. How was movie?" Colleen replied, "It was just brilliant, Exile. How are Kasha and Alek?" Exile smiled, and replied, "Kasha is doing just fineski, and so is Alek." Samantha came down seconds later, followed by Blitz, who was gently carrying little Karina. Kasha came into the kitchen minutes later, carrying Alek. Finally, Shag and Muzzle entered the room. The Master Chief walked in, and Blitz said, "Hunter, I didn't know we had a new recruit." Hunter replied, "He's not a Road Rover, Blitz. This is the Master Chief, Spartan-117. He's here due to an alien force known as the Covenant. They've come back in time, and they intend to conquer Earth in the 20th century, before humankind can resist them. He's here to stop them, and we're going to help." The Master Chief asked, "Who are all the rest of these dogs?" Hunter said, "Sorry 'bout that. The male Husky is Exile, and the female Husky is his wife, Kasha, and the little one in her arms is their son, Alek." The Doberman is Blitz, and the female German Shepherd is his wife, Samantha. The little girl in Blitz's arms is their daughter, Karina. The big white Sheepdog is Shag, and the Rottweiler is Muzzle." The Spartan asked, "What kind of dog are you, and your wife, Hunter?" Hunter replied, "Well…I'm actually a mixed breed. Half Golden Retriever, twenty-five percent Bloodhound, fifteen percent Pointer, and ten percent Cocker Spaniel. Colleen's a Rough Collie, from London, England. Our twins are a mix of Golden Retriever and Collie, since I've got more Retriever in me than anything else." The Master came down, and was introduced to the Master Chief. Once introductions were out of the way, the Rovers all headed to bed for the night, and The Master Chief decided to sleep on the foldout bed in the Rec room. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day for all of them.

**Next Chapter: The Covenant begins landing more troops, and they're not Grunts or Elites. They're Brutes, the toughest aliens in the entire Covenant. The Prophet of Truth, leader of the Covenant, has decided to purge the weaker species, and, as a result, the mightiest Elite warrior, the Arbiter, makes his way to Earth's 20****th**** century, in his flagship, the **_**Ascendant Justice,**_** the mightiest ship in the Covenant. There, he links up with the Master Chief and the Road Rovers, and together, they start to form a battle plan to combat the forces of the Brutes and Jackals, along with the few remaining Grunts that have elected to fight alongside the Brutes, and their leader, Tartarus. Join us for Chapter Three: Enter the Arbiter!**


	3. Enter the Arbiter!

**A Spartan Out Of Time**

**Story by:**** Phoenix710**

**Summary:**** In this chapter, Hunter and Colleen, as well as the other couples among the Rovers, have a brief romantic interlude, after Hunter makes breakfast in bed for Colleen. Meanwhile, on the Covenant home base of High Charity, The Prophet of Truth, leader of the Covenant, sends the Brutes, led by their Chieftain, Tartarus, to Earth, as part of his plan to ensure that humankind is wiped out. However, the mightiest of the Elites, the Arbiter, follows them in his flagship, **_**Ascendant Justice.**_** Once he arrives, he and his squad of Grunts, Elites, and Hunters, dispose of a pack of Brutes and Jackals, before heading into the city of Socorro, NM. During the battle, the Arbiter overhears one Brute talking about their plans to take over Washington, D.C., as their first target, and use it as their starting base for their assault on the rest of Earth. He goes searching for the Master Chief, and eventually links up with him, and the Rovers. Together, the heroes make a battle plan to stop Tartarus and his forces. Let's join the action.**

**Disclaimer: ****I do not claim any rights whatsoever to either Road Rovers, or Halo, or to any of the characters associated with either series. Road Rovers, and all associated characters, are registered trademarks of Warner Brothers, and Halo, and all associated characters, are registered trademarks of Bungie Game Studios, and Microsoft. However, all original characters are property of my imagination.**

**Chapter Three: Enter The Arbiter!**

The next morning, Hunter awoke to the soft, sweet sound of his wife's angelic voice, as she said, "Morning, Huntie-Wuntie." He sat up, rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, and then kissed her, savoring the sweet scent of roses and vanilla that clung to her. Her arms started to gently caress his shoulders, while he traced one hand along her spine, running the other hand through her soft, flowing hair. When they broke their kiss to come up for air, Hunter said, "I love you so much, my angel." Colleen leaned against him, and replied, "I love you too, Huntie." He then headed downstairs, and started cooking up the cinnamon and brown sugar pancakes that he'd promised to make at least once a month for Colleen and the twins, and for everyone else. He made them up just the way she liked them, with some strawberries on the side, and a tall glass of orange juice to go with it. He had a plate for himself as well, along with one each for the twins. He slid the trays in front of the kids, then walked over to their bed, and pulled out the mini-table. He said, "Breakfast is served, my sweet English Rose." Colleen blushed, and said, "Oh Huntie…you truly are the best husband I could've ever hoped for. I love you." She kissed him, and he returned the favor, before they dug in. Once they'd finished, Hunter picked up their trays, dashed downstairs, then came back up once he'd washed the trays and plates off. The twins excused themselves, and headed down to the rec room, to play a game of air hockey. Hunter and Colleen knew that Cassie and Alexander were well behaved, and would stay put until someone came to get them. Hunter began gently massaging Colleen's shoulders and back, as she leaned against him. She loved the gentle, soothing manner in which he was rubbing his hands up and down her body, getting any stiffness out of her muscles. He was absolutely perfect for her. He was kind, honest, gentle, charming, sweet, and loved her more than anything. Hunter felt the exact same way about Colleen. She was strong, brave, noble, intelligent, loyal, kind, and incredibly beautiful. His marriage to her had been the best years of his life, especially since the twins had been born. Hunter sank down onto the soft mattress of the bed, with Colleen under him, and they spent the next half-hour cuddled up together. After that, they headed in to take a shower, dried off, and finally, they headed downstairs into the Rec room, briefly pausing to say good morning to everyone else. Once they got into the Rec room, they decided to play a game of Ping-Pong.

Exile and Kasha were doing a light morning exercise routine, a simple twenty-minute set of pushups, sit-ups, and jumping jacks. Once that was done, they spent about a half-hour curled up together, before heading in for a shower. Once they'd cleaned up, Kasha said, "Exile, you are such sweet dog. I love you." Exile replied, "You, Kasha…are most beautiful female I could have ever chosen to marry, and I love you too, my precious snowflower." Kasha fed Alek a bottle, and then they made their way downstairs for breakfast.

Blitz and Samantha were both doing a morning workout of their own. Samantha was practicing her martial arts routines, as Colleen had taught her, while Blitz used the punching bag that Hunter had purchased for him at Christmas. Once that was done, Samantha said, "Blitz, you really are a wonderful husband, a great father, and a wonderful dog. I love you, and I always will." Blitz kissed the beautiful female German Shepherd, and replied, "I love you too, Sam." They cuddled up together for a while, then took a shower. Once they'd finished with that, Sam fed a bottle to Karina, and then they went downstairs to join the others for breakfast. Once they got down there, they all started sliding Hunter's pancakes onto their plates, and pouring themselves a glass of either milk, or juice. The Master Chief was having both milk and juice. His helmet was sitting on the table in front of him, and his face was strong and noble. He had deep, brown eyes, short, cropped dark brown hair, and a strong air of pride clung to him. Samantha asked, "Chief, that armor of yours, it's alot like our own. Where did you get it?" The Master Chief replied, "It's MJOLNIR Mk.VI armor, and I got it from the UNSC test facility in Songham, Korea. I'm from the mid-26th century, the year 2552, to be exact." Blitz remarked, "Whoa…these Covenant aliens…if any of them try to hurt my wife, or my friends, I'll bite them so hard, they'll never be able to sit down again." The Master Chief replied, "You might have a hard time with that. These aliens are formidable fighters, and taking them on is going to require all of us to fight our hardest." Hunter and Colleen came down, with the twins in tow, and, once they'd finished cleaning up, they went to do their morning routines. Hunter, Colleen, and the twins went for a swim in the ocean, Blitz and Sam took Karina outside, and began rolling a beach ball around with her, Exile and Kasha took Alek outside, to teach him how to walk, Shag hunted for more seashells, Muzzle went off in search of The Master, and the Master Chief began polishing his weapons, before heading for the gymnasium to work out.

**Covenant Holy City, High Charity…**

In the Temple of the Hierarchs, the Prophet of Truth, Supreme Leader of the Covenant, was meeting with Tartarus, the Chieftain of the Brutes. Tartarus was huge, standing nine feet tall, and he carried a MASSIVE weapon known as the Fist of Rukt, which was a huge Gravity Hammer, capable of either being used as a club, or to fire powerful energy blasts. He was covered head to toe in silver fur, and looked like a humanoid gorilla. Truth said, "Tartarus, the time has come. The Elites have failed us one time too many. Take your Brutes, Jackals, and Drones, as well as the Grunts and Hunters that have elected to fight by your side, and go to Earth's 20th century. Once there, destroy the filthy Human vermin, and conquer Earth. Understood?" Tartarus bowed, and said, "My faith is strong, Oh Holy One. I will not fail you." He then turned and left, heading for his ship, the _Unyielding Vigilance_. However, unbeknownst to either Truth, or to Tartarus, one of the Grunts that was loyal to the Arbiter, an ally of the Master Chief, and who knew of the Prophet's evil plans, and wanted to stop it, ran as fast as he could, to the Arbiter's vessel, _Ascendant Justice._ Once he got onboard, he reported to the black-armored Elite in charge of his unit, Ryam 'Kitarmee. The Grunt, Yayap, said, "Me bring bad news. Prophet Truth send ugly, smelly Brutes to Earth in past. We tell Arbiter, so he can go kill Brutes?" 'Kitarmee replied, "Yes. Excellent work, Yayap. Go and rest." The Grunt saluted, and headed for his quarters. 'Kitarmee entered the control room, and saluted the Arbiter, and the Ship Master, Rtas 'Vadumee. The Arbiter spoke up, saying, "Report, Commander." 'Kitarmee said, "One of my Special Ops. Grunts, Yayap, returned from spying on The Prophet of Truth. Our worst fears are true…they ARE bringing in the Brutes to replace us. They head to Earth in the 20th century. We must stop them. I've already learned that the human warrior, Master Chief, snuck on the last Covenant ship to head down there, and he is presumed to still be alive. We must join him, and stop Tartarus." The Arbiter replied, "Set navigational coordinates for Earth, year 1999. Tartarus…I will destroy you myself, for what you have done to my family." _Ascendant Justice _took off, in hot pursuit of Tartarus's ship.

**Earth, 20****th**** Century.**

The Rovers were all out on the beach now, enjoying the wonderful early summer day. Hunter and Colleen were playing Marco Polo with the twins, Samantha, Blitz, and Karina were making a sand castle, since Blitz had purchased a sand castle building set, after seeing how much fun it was for Hunter, Colleen, and their twins. Exile and Kasha were watching little Alek, as he played with his toy cars and trucks on the beach. Exile headed over, and began playing with him, while Kasha looked on, a bright smile on her face. Shag was walking up and down the beach, with a metal detector in hand. The Master and Professor Hubert stood out on the balcony, overlooking the happy scene in front of them. Hubert said, "Master, this is such a nice day. I mean, everyone's so happy and carefree, ever since they all got married, it brings a tear to my eye." The Master replied, "I know, Professor, I know. The Rovers certainly have grown closer than ever before, and I know that nothing will ever weaken their bonds of friendship and love."

**Earth orbit, onboard **_**Unyielding Vigilance…**_

Tartarus gave the order to his troops to disembark, and they all headed out. A massive brigade of Grunts, Hunters, Brutes, and Jackals, boarded their Insertion Pods, and headed downward, towards Earth. Just as Tartarus left the ship in his own pod, however, he saw his ship explode, under the furious Plasma Torpedo assault of the most massive ship in the Covenant fleet, the _Ascendant Justice_. Tartarus growled angrilly, as he realized that the Arbiter had followed him. No matter…he'd simply tear him apart, like any other Elite. He saw _Ascendant Justice _launch its drop pods, one of which, a brilliant gold-hulled one, was the Arbiter's. The two forces headed down to Earth, each determined to overwhelm the other. Tartarus sought to conquer Earth, the Arbiter and his forces, however, sought to save it.

**Surface of Earth, Landing Zone, 10:50am…**

Tartarus's troops touched down first, and boarded their Ghosts, and Wraiths. The Wraith was a MASSIVE Covenant tank, roughly the size of a Semi Truck's cab, and armed with two forward-firing plasma autocannons, and a HUGE plasma mortar cannon. The Arbiter's troops touched down minutes later, and a wild brawl began. The Arbiter's troops were piloted gold-hulled vehicles, to distinguish them from the enemy. The Arbiter's troops also had better armor than their enemies, and they'd enhanced their weapons. The Arbiter's Grunts were all black-armored Special Ops. troops, and were trained to be deadly with a Grunt Fuel Rod Gun, a portable version of the type used by Hunters. Tartarus ordered his troops forward, as did the Arbiter. One Brute rushed the Arbiter, only to be cut down by three of the Arbiter's Grunts, who were firing Needlers. The lead Grunt, Yayap, said, "You no hurt Mighty One, ugly, smelly Brute!" The Arbiter himself had taken out at least twenty Jackals already, with headshots from his beam Carbine, which used a refined version of Fuel Rod Gun technology, and came in the form of a powerful sniper rifle. The Arbiter was also carrying six plasma grenades, and his energy sword. A Brute in a Ghost tried to ram him, but he primed a plasma grenade, jumped up over the Brute, and lobbed the weapon. It stuck to the Brute's helmet, and blew up five seconds later. The Ghost exploded along with it, the flaming wreckage rolling along the ground for a good ten minutes, killing twelve Brutes, eight Jackals, ten enemy Grunts, and the six enemy Hunters. Tartarus finally called a retreat, and he and his remaining forces ran off. As they left, however, one of them yelled out, **"MISERABLE ELITE SCUM, YOU WILL NOT STOP OUR ULTIMATE GOAL!!! WE SHALL TAKE WASHINGTON, D.C., AND USE IT TO START OUR CONQUEST OF THIS PLANET!"** The Arbiter strapped his Carbine to his armor, and looked over his forces. All but three of his troops were alive, those three dead being Grunts. Yayap came up to him, and asked, "What we do now, Mighty One?" The Arbiter replied, "We shall go and find the Master Chief, and form a battle plan to stop Tartarus." The Arbiter and his soldiers headed out, the sensors built into the Arbiter's helmet allowing him to track the Master Chief.

**Road Rover HQ, 12:00pm…**

Hunter was getting lunch ready for everyone. He was making homemade pizza today, and once he had them ready, everyone enthusiastically dug in. They'd just started eating, when Professor Hubert came in. He said, "Uh, Master Chief, there's someone here that wants to speak with you." The Chief looked up, and there, standing next to Hubert, was the mighty Elite warrior he'd worked with before, the Arbiter. The Arbiter said, "Greetings, Master Chief. I've been informed of your new friends, and ordered my troops to act accordingly. The reason I am here, is to inform you that The Prophet of Truth has sent the Brutes to Earth in this Era. They intend to strike at Washington, D.C., on the Eastern Coast of this land, which you call the United States of America. I have come to assist you in stopping them." Hunter asked, "How long do we have?" The Arbiter replied, "They intend to attack tomorrow. We must be fully readied." Colleen replied, "In that case, how 'bout you gents join us for lunch. We've got plenty here, so help yourselves." The Arbiter and the other Elites decided to try some of the pizza and soda, and decided that they actually liked it. The Grunts, being methane breathers, had to use special food tubes, which could be eaten through a suction tube that extended from their breathing masks. The Hunters also had their own rations. Once everyone finished eating, Hunter and the other Rovers, along with the Master Chief, and the Arbiter, began brainstorming to come up with a battle plan.

**Next Chapter: Our heroes devise a battle plan to stop Tartarus, and they move out, determined to deep-six his plans. Will they be able to prevent the Brutes from taking over Earth? Find out next time in Chapter Four: Move out, Rovers!**


	4. The Heroes Move Out

**A Spartan Out of Time**

**Story by: ****Phoenix710**

**Summary: ****In this chapter, Hunter outlines a battle plan for dealing with the Covenant encampment. First, they'll fly in cloaked, with the Stealth Rover, and take down the enemy air units, with the help of the Arbiter's Banshees, high-speed, single pilot attack aircraft, armed with a pair of plasma cannons, and a Fuel Rod Cannon. Meanwhile, the Master Chief and the Arbiter, along with the other ground troops under the Arbiter's command, will move in on Ghosts, and tear apart the enemy sentries. Let's join our heroes now, as they prepare for their assault against Tartarus and his forces.**

**Disclaimer: I do not claim any rights whatsoever to Road Rovers or Halo, or to any of the characters associated with either series. Road Rovers, and all associated characters, are registered trademarks of Warner Brothers, and Halo, and all associated characters, are registered trademarks of Bungie Game Studios and Microsoft. The song I'll be using in this chapter for the fight sequence, 'The Touch', is property of Stan Bush.**

**Chapter Four: Move Out, Rovers!**

After breakfast the following morning, Hunter and the other Rovers, along with the Master Chief, as well as the Arbiter and his forces, walked into the Briefing Room. The Master cleared his throat, and said, "Listen up, everyone. Our recon satellites have located the enemy encampment, right outside Washington, D.C. You must stop them, before they can lay waste to the city. The President and his staff have already been evacuated, but the danger still remains to all of the priceless, irreplaceable pieces of American History that is located within the city. Stop these aliens, and come back alive. Good Luck!" Hunter and the others walked over to the table, and Hunter brought up the satellite data. He said, "Here's my plan…I'll take the Stealth Rover in, and we'll accompany the Arbiter's Banshees in taking down Tartarus's flyboys. Meanwhile, I think the ground forces would be best used in a split attack. Half from the right, half from the left. Once we're done cleaning up the skies, we'll land, and help you all clean up the ground. Does that sound good to all of you?" The Arbiter replied, "That is an excellent plan. You truly are a superb strategist. I can see why you were chosen as the leader of your team." Hunter said, "Thanks!" He then said, **"LET'S HIT THE ROAD, ROVERS!!!"** The Arbiter turned to his troops, and said, **"WARRIORS, PREPARE FOR BATTLE!!! TODAY, WE SHALL AVENGE OUR FALLEN COMRADES, AND DESTROY THE BRUTES!!!"** The Arbiter's battalions of Grunts, Elites, and Hunters ran for their vehicles. The Hunters, at their size, could fight well enough alone on foot. The Grunts and half of the Elites manned Ghosts, while the other Elites took to the air in Banshees. The Arbiter and the Master Chief both got behind the controls of a Ghost, and took off. Hunter and the other Rovers headed down to the Armory, suited up, and grabbed their weapons. They loaded up with plenty of armor-piercing rounds, and each of them also brought along a .50AE Desert Eagle 12.7mm pistol, the equivalent to the Master Chief's M6D. Once they were all prepped and ready, Hunter and Colleen said goodbye to the twins, and then they headed down to the hangar. Once everyone was buckled in, Hunter punched in the 'burners, and took off.

About an hour later, the heroes spotted the enemy encampment ahead of them, along with plenty of Brute-piloted Banshees, and, on the ground, enemy Wraith tanks, and Ghost hoversleds. Hunter punched in the comm, and said, "Heads up, gang…enemy flyboys dead ahead!" The enemy Banshees accelerated right at them, and Hunter banked hard left, rolled up over the top of one of them, dropped in behind him, and opened up with the deadly 30mm GAU-8A Avenger gatling cannons. The 30mm rounds made quick work of the Banshee, and it quickly began trailing smoke, fire, and debris, as it fell out of the sky, landing on an enemy Wraith tank. The Wraith exploded as well, and the battle was on.

_You got the touch  
You got the power_

_Yah!_

_After all is said and done  
You've never walked, you've never run,  
You're a winner_

_You got the moves, you know the streets  
Break the rules, take the heat  
You're nobody's fool_

_You're at your best when the goin' gets rough  
You've been put to the test, but it's never enough_

_You got the touch  
You got the power_

_When all hell's breakin' loose  
You'll be riding the eye of the storm_

_You got the heart  
You got the motion_

_You know that when things get too tough  
You got the touch_

_You never bend, you never break  
You seem to know just what it takes  
You're a fighter_

_It's in the blood, it's in the will  
It's in the mighty hands of steel  
When you're standin' your ground_

_And you never get hit when your back's to the wall  
Gonna fight to the end and you're takin' it all_

_You got the touch  
You got the power_

_When all hell's breakin' loose  
You'll be riding the eye of the storm_

_You got the heart  
You got the motion_

_You know that when things get too tough  
You got the touch_

_You're fightin' fire with fire  
You know you got the touch_

_You're at your best when the road gets rough  
You've been put to the test, but it's never enough_

_You got the touch  
You got the power_

_Yah!_

_You got the touch  
You got the power_

The Arbiter ran over an enemy Grunt with his Ghost, then used the Plasma Cannons to kill a trio of charging Brutes. As for the Master Chief, he used the Plasma Cannons of his Ghost to shred a pair of Jackals that tried to get in his way, then did likewise to two Brutes. He then pulled up alongside a Wraith, jumped onto it, and ripped open the cockpit hatch. He shoved his assault rifle into the face of the Brute inside, and fired, the 7.62mm rounds shredded the alien's skull, killing it instantly. He then threw the dead corpse out, climbed in, and began using the Plasma Mortar to blast apart enemy ground positions. The Stealth Rover, meanwhile, was having a field day with the enemy-controlled Banshees. The shields were easily able to deflect the Plasma Cannon blasts, and Hunter simply dodged the fuel rod cannon shots. Between the 30mm cannons, which were capable of firing up to 3,900 rounds per minute, the Stealth Rover's missiles, and the four wing-mounted laser cannons, the Rovers were blasting Banshees out of the sky by the dozen. Once all the Banshees were down, Hunter dropped down to low altitude, and began firing on the enemy ground troops with the cannons. Once they'd all finished taking down the sentries, The Rovers, along with the Master Chief, the Arbiter, and his forces, split off, to take down the remaining enemies. Hunter and the Rovers went around to one side, while the Master Chief went around the other side, with the Arbiter and his troops. The Arbiter snuck up behind a Jackal, clamped his fist over its mouth, and yanked it backwards, into the bushes. He slammed his fist into the creature's skull, and it died without a single squawk. Hunter shot a pair of Brutes in the head, hitting them both with precise fire from his Desert Eagle. Colleen jump kicked a Jackal, with a yell of **"HIYA!!! VENICE!!! HAWAII!!! PARIS!!!" **The ugly, birdlike alien died instantly, but Colleen had no time to celebrate. A Brute charged her from behind, and tackled her. She went down in a heap, and the beast began pounding its fists on her armor. Her shields were weakening, and she could see that it was going for the Brute Shot strapped to its back. One clean shot from the grenade launcher, or a slice of the huge, curved blade, would tear her apart. The Brute raised its weapon, about to skewer her through the heart. She shut her eyes, and waited for it, but it never came. The next sound she heard, was the sound of rapid fire from an XM-29 Assault Rifle. She blinked a couple of times to clear her senses, then turned her head in the direction that she'd heard the shots from. There, standing tall and proud, was Hunter. He smashed his armored boot into the dead Brute's face, and said, "Nobody hurts my wife, you ugly scum!" He reached down and helped her up, and said, "Colleen, are you okay?" She allowed her shields to recharge, then replied, "Yeah, I'm fine, Huntie…thanks to you." They hugged one another, and then headed off to rejoin the others. Blitz hurled a frag grenade at a pair of Grunts, and it blew them to bits. Samantha fired a pair of rounds from her pistol, each round taking down one of the Hunters loyal to Tartarus. Kasha froze a trio of Brutes, and then Exile blew them to bits with a grenade from his rifle's launcher. The Master Chief ran over several enemy Grunts, Jackals, and even a pair of Brutes with his captured Wraith, while the Arbiter sliced his way through them with his Plasma Sword. His other Elites were doing likewise, while the Grunts, led by Yayap, cut loose with their Needlers, Plasma Pistols, and plasma grenades. One of Yayap's subordinates, a red-armored Grunt named Gagaw, let rip with a blast from his Fuel Rod Gun, blowing a group of Brutes to pieces. In short order, they had plowed their way through the outer defenses, and Hunter gathered the Rovers around. He said, "We stick with the plan. We'll go in from one side, and take down the Grunts and Jackals. We leave the Brutes, and the enemy Hunters, to the Master Chief and the Arbiter. Let's move out, Rovers!" With that, they headed into the camp itself, determined to put a stop to Tartarus's plans.

**Next Chapter: Our heroes have finally made it into the enemy encampment, and they begin the final battle to mop them off of Earth. Will the Arbiter be able to defeat Tartarus, and avenge his family's deaths? Will the Rovers survive this vicious fight? Find out next time in Chapter Five: Danger Zone.**


	5. Danger Zone

**A Spartan Out of Time**

**Story by:**** Phoenix710**

**Summary: ****In this chapter, our heroes finally manage to fight their way into the enemy encampment, and now, they must demolish the enemy vehicles and weapons supplies, while taking out as many of the enemy aliens as they can. The Arbiter will finally have his chance to avenge his family's death at the hands of the Brute leader, Tartarus, and Colleen displays just how dedicated she is to protecting the love of her life, Hunter. Let's join the action now, as our heroes prepare to wipe the aliens off of Earth.**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not claim any rights whatsoever to either Road Rovers, or to Halo, nor do I claim any rights to the characters associated with either series. Road Rovers, and all associated characters, are registered trademarks of Warner Brothers. Halo, and all associated characters, are registered trademarks of Bungie Game Studios, and Microsoft. The song I'll be using for the fight scene in this chapter, 'Danger Zone', is property of Kenny Loggins. All original characters, however, are properties of my imagination.**

**Chapter Five: Danger Zone**

With a loud roar, the front gate to the Covenant encampment exploded, as the Master Chief smashed his captured Wraith tank into it, running over a trio of Jackals in the process. Cortana, the Master Chief's AI, remarked, "Looks like they forgot to look both ways before crossing the street." She then hacked into the computer network of the enemy base, and began wreaking havoc. Computer systems failed, security doors jammed, and she even caused the food processor machines to go haywire, so that when a Brute tried to get a ration pack, he got sprayed in the face with a massive jet of the nutrient paste that was fed to the Grunts. The aliens came out, angrier than a swarm of yellowjackets, and hungry for blood. The Master Chief shot a pack of four Jackals dead with his assault rifle, and then he killed ten more with a plasma grenade. The Arbiter's Plasma Sword slashed a Jackal in half at the waist, and he then kicked a Brute in the stomach, following up with a hard series of punches, which knocked the beast off balance. Finally, one of the Arbiter's Hunters smashed it's shield into the Brute, with the force of the impact of a Semi Truck at 65mph, shattering it's heart and lungs. The Brute was dead before it stopped flying through the air.

_'Revvin' up your engine_

_Listen to her howlin' roar_

_Metal under tension_

_Beggin' you to touch and go_

_Highway to the Danger Zone  
Ride into the Danger Zone_

_Headin' into twilight  
Spreadin' out her wings tonight  
She got you jumpin' off the track  
And shovin' into overdrive_

_Highway to the Danger Zone_

_I'll take you _

_Right into the Danger Zone_

_You'll never say hello to you_

_Until you get it on the red line overload_

_You'll never know what you can do_

_Out along the edges  
Always where I burn to be  
The further on the edge  
The hotter the intensity_

_Highway to the Danger Zone  
Gonna take you  
Right into the Danger Zone_

_Highway to the Danger Zone!'_

Blitz and Samantha started blasting Jackals to pieces, each of them covering for the other. Blitz spotted an enemy Hunter charging Samantha, intent on tearing her apart with the razor-sharp spines on its back. He shouted, **"SAM, WATCH OUT!!!"** She dodged just in time, causing the Hunter to run past her. Blitz grabbed a plasma grenade from the ammo harness of a dead Grunt, ignited the weapon, and lobbed it. It flew straight and true, sailing right into the muzzle of the Hunter's Fuel Rod Gun. The grenade glowed a bright blue-white, and Blitz and Sam both dove for cover. Seconds later, the grenade detonated, and the Hunter's Fuel Rod Gun exploded along with it. The Hunter was blown apart, and Blitz said, "Verzeihung, aber sie haben Ihre granate vergessen." (German for, "Excuse me, but you forgot your grenade."). Sam said, "Thanks, Blitz. You saved my life." He replied, "Sam, I won't allow anyone to hurt you, or any of the others, especially Hunter, since I consider both him and Colleen to be my closest friends, and they are little Karina's Godparents." The two Rovers reloaded their weapons, and went off in search of more enemy Grunts and Jackals. Exile lobbed a frag grenade into an ammo storage shack full of plasma grenades, where at least ten Grunts were checking their weapons. One of them saw the grenade, and said, "Grenade bad!", before the powerful weapon went off, sending shards of metal flying everywhere. The plasma grenades detonated, and the Grunts were blown to tiny pieces. Kasha hurled a captured plasma grenade at another Grunt, and it stuck onto the diminutive alien's back. It began running around in panic, screaming, **"GET IT OFF!!! GET IT OFF!!!"**. The stupid little methane-breathing alien ran straight toward three Brutes, and they all got turned into paste when the grenade went off. Kasha said, "I hope you brought butter, because you're about to get fried!" Colleen snap-kicked a Jackal between the legs, and it doubled over in pain. She then grabbed the creature's plasma pistol, shoved the creature onto the ground, and fired, killing it. She then hosed down a pair of Grunts with her captured Needler, before going off to find Hunter. He unloaded his own assault rifle into a platoon of Grunts and Jackals, before he started planting demolition charges onto enemy weapons stockpiles and Wraith tanks. He'd just set his last explosive charge in the engine compartment of a Wraith, and was about to head off to find Colleen, when he suddenly felt a vise-like grip clamp onto his neck. He dropped his rifle, and couldn't find the strength to reach for his Desert Eagle. He soon found himself lifted off his feet, and came face-to-face with a Brute. The huge beast bared its teeth, and growled out, "You will die, you mangy mutt, and then I will delight in having your meat and bones for my stew tonight." Hunter's vision dimmed, as the beast began to squeeze harder. He desperately tried to pry the huge monster's hand off his neck, but it was no use. Stars danced in his vision, and he began to fear that he'd never see Colleen again, never be able to feel her warm body against his, or hear her sweet, angelic voice. Just as he was about to pass out, however, he heard Colleen scream his name. **"HUNTIE, HANG ON!!!"** Driven by her overwhelming desire to protect the one that meant more to her than anything else, Colleen charged the Brute from behind, and launched herself at the nine-foot tall beast. She aimed a precise, knife-hand chop into the monster's left arm, cutting the main nerve in the arm. The Brute howled in pain, and dropped Hunter. He fell to the ground, and pulled off his helmet, so he could take in as much air as possible. His neck throbbed in pain, and his vision was still foggy, but he could clearly see Colleen darting around the Brute, using her superior agility to land precise strikes into the monster's joints. Once she'd weakened it enough, she decided to get serious. She launched herself into the air, and landed a bone-shattered flying scissor kick to the Brute's head, which caused the huge beast to stagger, and then fall over. She then followed up with a rapid series of rising uppercuts, elbow drops, and she even cracked the Brute in the back of the neck with her rifle's buttstock, to the yell of **"HIYA!!! ENTERPRISE!!! YORKTOWN!!! HORNET!!!" **(The three United States Navy aircraft carriers that fought the Japanese at the Battle of Midway in WWII). The Brute never recovered, as Colleen smashed the knuckles of her armored right fist into the beast's throat, crushing the windpipe and lacerating the larynx. The monster died in seconds, and Colleen rushed over to Hunter's side. She pulled him close, and said, "Oh Huntie…I-I'm so glad you're still alive…" He hugged her, and said, "Colleen, thank you so much for saving me. I would've been dead if you hadn't nailed that Brute when you did." She kissed him, after removing her own helmet, and replied, "Huntie, you saved me earlier, when another Brute was about to stab me through the heart, and I'm not about to let you die. I love you, and I swore that I'd always protect you, just like you did with me." They kissed again, and, when they both came up for air, Colleen retrieved Hunter's assault rifle, and he reloaded. Finally, the two of them joined Blitz, Samantha, Exile, Kasha, and Shag, in mopping up what was left of the Covenant forces. Shag hurled a frag grenade at a force of eight Grunts and six Jackals, and blew the lot of them apart. Finally, after slicing his way past all of the Brutes guarding Tartarus, the Arbiter shouted, **"TARTARUS!!! DON'T THINK YOU CAN ESCAPE ME, YOU COWARDLY BUTCHER!!! TODAY, I SHALL AVENGE THE LOSS OF MY FAMILY, AND TEAR YOU TO PIECES!!!"** Tartarus turned, and replied, "Hah…I think not! I shall kill you myself, and bring your dead corpse back to High Charity, so that The Prophet of Truth can feed you to the Jackals!" With that, Tartarus charged forward, and the Arbiter readied himself. Tartarus tried to swing his massive hammer, but the Arbiter dodged. The Elite then spun around, and began firing his Plasma Rifle at Tartarus. The Brute Chieftain staggered backwards, eventually dropping the Fist of Rukt. The Arbiter grabbed the fallen weapon, and swung with all his might, smashing Tartarus in the gut, shattering half of his ribs. As Tartarus doubled over in pain, the Arbiter seized his chance, and charged forward. He ignited his Plasma Sword, and stabbed Tartarus in the chest, the blade coming out through the other side. Tartarus dropped in a dead heap, and the Arbiter lifted the Fist of Rukt up, and shouted, **"MY WARRIORS, TARTARUS IS DEAD!!! WE HAVE WON THE DAY!!!"** Within moments, the Master Chief finished off the last of the enemy troops with his MA5B Assault Rifle, and then he and the Arbiter both climbed onto a pair of nearby Ghosts. The Arbiter's troops followed suit, and the Rovers got back onto the Stealth Rover. Exile and Kasha manned the controls, since Colleen wanted to sit on the foldout bed in the rear with Hunter, and make sure he was okay. After they were airborne, Exile fired a pair of Brimstone missiles from the Stealth Rover, and the Covenant camp was obliterated. Minutes later, the heroes all turned around, and headed back towards Road Rover Headquarters.

**Next Chapter: Our heroes finally arrive home, and The Master congratulates them all for a job well done. The Master Chief and the Arbiter board **_**Ascendant Justice,**_** and return to the future. Finally, the Rovers have dinner, spend some time on the beach, and then, they all head to bed. Join us next time for Chapter Six: Welcome home, Rovers!**


	6. The Heroes Return Home

**A Spartan Out Of Time**

**Story by:**** Phoenix710**

**Summary:**** After their victory against the Covenant invasion force, our heroes return to Road Rover Headquarters, and The Master congratulates them for a job well done. The Master Chief and the Arbiter board the **_**Ascendant Justice**_**, and they return to their time, in order to effect an end to the hostilities between the Covenant Fleet and the humans, since the whole war against humanity was instigated by the lies of the Prophet of Truth. With that done, the Arbiter and the Master Chief head to High Charity, and take down the Prophet of Truth, bringing about a final peace agreement between the human race, and the Covenant. Meanwhile, the Rovers have dinner, and then they go out and enjoy the sunset on the beach, before finally going to bed. Let's join our victorious heroes now, as they return home.**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not claim any rights whatsoever to either Road Rovers, or Halo, or to any of the characters associated with either series. Road Rovers, and all associated characters, are registered trademarks of Warner Brothers. Halo, and all associated characters, are registered trademarks of Bungie Game Studios, and Microsoft. All original characters, however, are products of my imagination. The song that Hunter will sing for Colleen here, 'Unchained Melody', is property of The Righteous Brothers, and the song that Colleen will sing for Hunter, 'Evergreen', is property of Barbara Streisand.**

**Chapter Six: Welcome Home, Rovers!**

Just after 5:30pm, the Stealth Rover made its way back into New Mexico airspace, and Exile got on the line with Headquarters, to request permission for landing. He keyed the radio, and said, _'Stealth Rover to HQ, aliens are kaputski, requesting clearance to land…over.' _A minute passed, and then the voice of Professor Hubert came over the comm. He replied, _'Nicely done, Exile. The Master's been informed, and you have permission to land. Welcome home.'_ Exile lined the Stealth Rover up with the landing beacon, and guided their bird towards home. He applied the airbrakes as needed, until they reached the point where he needed to lower the landing gear. Kasha reached over, and slid the levers forward. The main gear, located just to the rear of the wings, locked into position first, followed quickly by the nose gear. Exile made a few light course corrections, and finally, slid the Stealth Rover smoothly into the landing bay. He powered down the engines, activated the safeties on the weapons, and then powered down all the other systems, ending with activating the safeties on the ejection seats. The Arbiter's troops came in on their Banshees, while the Master Chief and the Arbiter parked their Ghosts outside. The Arbiter's ship, _Ascendant Justice_, was still in orbit around Earth, awaiting orders to bring the Arbiter back onboard. In the meantime, the Rovers, as well as their friends from the future, headed up to the Briefing Room, so that The Master could congratulate them for saving the planet. When they entered, The Master turned to face them. He smiled, and said, "I've just finished watching the footage of your mission from the Stealth Rover's mission recorder, and from your helmet recorders as well. You've all performed splendidly, and I'm VERY impressed with Hunter and Colleen, especially. Your actions in saving each other's lives, proves that, without a shadow of a doubt, that you two are totally dedicated to one another, and that you truly are destined to be soulmates forever. The rest of you, I'm very proud of you, as well. Master Chief, Arbiter, even though you are not from this era, we all owe you a great deal, since your help was instrumental in repelling the alien menace from Earth. Rovers, Chief, Arbiter…all of humanity is in your debt, and I want to congratulate each and every one of you. Of course, you Rovers performed beyond my expectations, as always, and I know that I was right when I made my decisions on which dogs to choose to form the team. You're good dogs, Rovers. Good, good dogs." Hunter turned to face the rest of his teammates, and said, **"TO THE POWER OF THE PACK!!!"** The rest of the Rovers responded with their usual **"AAAHHHRRROOO!!!"** The Arbiter turned to face Hunter and Colleen, and said, "Both of you have shown remarkable courage under fire, and have proven to be brave, honorable, and noble warriors, as well as showing true love, and dedication, not only to one another, but to your fellow Road Rovers as well. It has been an honor for myself and my troops to fight at your side, and I will remember you always." Hunter replied, "Thanks, Arbiter. You and the Chief really were a big help, and so were your troops." The Arbiter replied, "I am honored by your compliment. Now, I must take my leave. There is a war going on, between my people and humanity, instigated by the falsehoods spread by the Prophet of Truth. The Master Chief and I will go back to our time, end the war, and slay the Prophet of Truth for his foul misdeeds. Farewell, Road Rovers, and always maintain your bonds of friendship, never lose your faith in yourselves, or in one another, and always believe that your friends will be there for you." With those parting words, the Master Chief and the Arbiter departed, as did the Arbiter's troops. The Arbiter signalled to _Ascendant Justice_, and the ship sent down a trio of dropships to ferry them aboard. Once he had returned to his ship, The Arbiter said, "Set course for home. The false war that was instigated by the Prophet of Truth, and his lies, will finally end. The Humans are no longer our enemies, but our allies." _Ascendant Justice _blasted into Slipspace, headed back to the future.

**Lambda Serpentis Sector, year 2552…**

Onboard the _In Amber Clad_, Commander Miranda Keyes waited anxiously for any signal at all from the Master Chief. He'd been gone for a very long time, and she was beginning to worry. In the meantime, she knew there were other problems to deal with. Sgt. Johnson and his Marines had just taken out the latest wave of Covenant boarders, when suddenly, a MASSIVE Covenant ship came out of Slipspace, right alongside them. Keyes was about to order the _In Amber Clad_'s MAC gun to be aimed at the ship, when the Master Chief's voice came over the comm frequencies. She activated her ship's viewscreen, and said, "Chief! What are you doing onboard that Covenant ship?" The Spartan replied, "I'm here to bring an end to this war, Ma'am, and so is he…" The Chief stepped aside, and the Arbiter appeared. He said, "Commander Keyes, please do not be alarmed. I know that we are at war, but this is a false war, brought about by the lies of the leader of the Covenant, the Prophet of Truth. I am about to silence his lying mouth, along with your Master Chief. However, I shall first call of my troops." He broadcast to all Covenant ships in the area: "ATTENTION, ALL VESSELS, THIS IS THE ARBITER. THE PROPHET OF TRUTH HAS MANIPULATED US INTO FIGHTING THE HUMANS, ALL SO THAT HE COULD REPLACE THE ELITES, WITH THE SAVAGE, BLOODTHIRSTY BRUTES. THEY HAVE SLAIN OUR FAMILIES, DISHONORED US, AND DECLARED US AS OUTCASTS. NOW, WE SHALL UNITE AGAINST THEM, AND SILENCE THE LIES OF THE PROPHET OF TRUTH!!! THE WAR AGAINST THE HUMANS, IS OVER!" Immediately, all of the Covenant vessels stood down, and the Arbiter said, over the comm to Commander Keyes, "There, it is done. Now, I shall go to High Charity, and exterminate Truth, and then I shall return the Master Chief to you." The _Ascendant Justice_ accelerated away, followed closely by half of the Covenant fleet.

**High Charity…**

The Master Chief, the Arbiter, and ten of the Arbiter's Grunts, along with twelve of his Elites, and four of his Hunters, made their way onto High Charity, and began laying waste to the Prophet of Truth's forces. The Arbiter was carrying six plasma grenades, a beam carbine, and the Fist of Rukt, which he'd stolen from Tartarus, after killing the Brute Chieftain, in addition to the Plasma Sword at his side. The Master Chief had his MA5B Assault Rifle, four frag grenades, four plasma grenades, and two M6D 12.7mm Magnum pistols, along with ten clips of ammo for both the assault rifle, and the two pistols. The Arbiter's Grunts were armed with a mixture of Needlers, Fuel Rod guns, and plasma pistols. His Elites had Needlers, Plasma Swords, Plasma Rifles, and Carbines, and the Hunters had their usual Fuel Rod Guns. After an hour of fierce combat, they blasted their way into the _Sanctum of the Hierarchs_, and the Arbiter shouted, **"PROPHET OF TRUTH!!! YOUR LIES ARE NOW KNOWN TO ALL THE COVENANT!!! YOUR DEATH SENTENCE HAS BEEN ISSUED, AND I AM HERE TO TAKE YOUR HEAD!!!"** Truth called out, **"GUARDS!!! KILL THE ARBITER, AND THE MASTER CHIEF!!!"** The Brutes charged, but the Master Chief and the Arbiter easily plowed through them. Finally, The Master Chief launched himself at Truth, wrapped his arm around the alien's neck, and slammed his fist repeatedly into the Prophet's skull, until the Arbiter landed a precise shot from his beam carbine into Truth's head, killing him. The Arbiter's forces quickly destroyed the rest of the Brutes, and the Master Chief was soon back on _In Amber Clad_. After that, the humans' supreme commander, Fleet Admiral Terrance Hood, signed an official peace treaty with the Arbiter, thus ending the war once and for all.

**Back in the 20****th**** century…**

The Rovers headed into the dining room, where Shag had just brought out a delicious-looking dinner of fried chicken, rice, corn, and a salad. After they finished eating, they all headed out onto the beach, so that they could watch the sunset, and spend some quality time with each other. Hunter and Colleen went for a walk along the beach, along with the twins. Samantha and Blitz sat down on a towel, each of them sipping on a glass of iced tea, as they watched Karina making a sandcastle nearby. Exile and Kasha were having some lemonade, while Alek drove his toy cars around on the pretend road that Exile had dug for him with a little shovel. Shag walked up and down with his metal detector, occasionally digging up a bit of change. Soon, they all headed indoors, had some ice cream for dessert, before finally heading into their rooms for the night. Blitz and Samantha were exhausted, and they were asleep in minutes, as were Exile and Kasha. Hunter and Colleen put their twins to bed, and then Hunter pulled Colleen close, thanking the heavens above for allowing them to meet. He said, "Colleen, I don't know what I'd do without you, honestly. You're always there for me, no matter what. I thought I was dead when that Brute started strangling me, and, before you saved me, the one thing that ran through my mind, was the awful thought that I'd never see you or the twins again, never hear your lovely voice, or look into those beautiful eyes, that I love so much. I'm so glad that fate brought us together, Colleen. We were destined to meet, and I love you, and I always will." Colleen's arms came up around Hunter's shoulders, and she replied, "Huntie, there's nothing that I won't do for you. You mean more to me than anything else on Earth, and I knew that, from the day I first saw you, that we were destined to be soulmates. When you stopped that Brute from stabbing me, I realized just how lucky I am to have you at my side. I love you, Huntie-Wuntie, and I will never, ever stop loving you." They kissed, long and deep, basking in the joy and wonder of being together. When they finally broke apart for air, Hunter said, "Colleen, I'd like to sing a song for you. It's called 'Unchained Melody', by the Righteous Brothers." He cued up the CD with the song on it, and started singing.

'Oh, my love, my darling 

_I've hungered for your touch, a long, lonely time_

_And time goes by, so slowly, and time can do so much_

_Are you, still mine?_

_I need your love,_

_I need your love_

_God, speed your love to me._

_Lonely rivers flow, to the sea, to the sea_

_To the open arms of the sea_

_Lonely rivers cry, wait for me, wait for me_

_I'll be coming home, wait for me_

_Oh, my love, my darling_

_I've hungered for your touch, a long, lonely time_

_And time goes by, so slowly, and time can do so much_

_Are you still mine?_

_I need your love_

_I need your love_

_God, speed your love to me.'_

When he finished, Colleen's eyes were filled with tears of joy and love, and she hugged him with every ounce of the passion that she had in her heart for him. She said, "Huntie, that was so beautiful! I've got one that I'd like to sing for you as well. It's called 'Evergreen', by Barbara Streisand. Colleen cued up the song, and Hunter was soon rewarded with the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard, that of his lovely English Rose's sweet serenade.

'_Love, soft as an easy chair,  
love, fresh as the morning air.  
One love that is shared by two,  
I have found with you.  
Like a rose under the April snow  
I was always certain love would grow.  
Love, ageless and evergreen  
seldom seen by two.  
You and I will make each night a first  
every day a beginning.  
Spirits rise and their dance is unrehearsed  
they warm and excite us  
cause we have the brightest love,  
two lights that shine as one.  
Morning glory and the midnight sun.  
Time, we've learned to sail above,  
time can't change the meaning of  
one love ageless and ever, evergreen.'_

Once she'd finished, Hunter pulled her close, and their lips met in another deep, searing kiss. After they broke for air, Hunter said, "Colleen, you're absolutely wonderful, in every way. There's nothing that could possibly make me feel any better, than just being with you, my lovely angel." The two of them sank onto the soft mattress of their bed, and spent the next hour or so cuddled up very closely. The two of them went into the bathroom after that, took a shower, changed their sheets, and then climbed back into bed, and snuggled up. Hunter and Colleen kissed one more time, before falling asleep. They both knew that nothing would ever separate them, and that they were destined to remain together forever.

**The End.**


End file.
